


oh, but i know you'll cause me grief

by kkochiya



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Xu Ming Hao | The8, Occult, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-03-07 21:15:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18881410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkochiya/pseuds/kkochiya
Summary: falling.falling.fallen.sicheng falls. no one catches him.but others mend the damages of the descent.and yuta. he meets yuta. the incubus with a confusing aim.





	1. i ; fallen

**Author's Note:**

> cr; mac, helping with ideas and plot

Closed eyelids, lashes fluttering ever so slightly.

Heartstrings strained almost to their breaking point, torturous shame.

So this was the pain of falling? He thought sullenly.

How naive he had been.

-

Sicheng was ethereal: a masterpiece, one of God’s finest works.

He could never equate to the beauty of Lucifer, and he knew this. But he was happy as he was: full of purity and grace.

The fall of his brothers and sisters were devastating but never did he mourn. Told that they were sinners, he believed naively, thinking himself highly for never falling into the clutches of sin. Such a thing was unthinkable.

But it was him that made him realise.

Him.

He who went through life gleefully, so refreshingly happy with his brothers - someone Sicheng almost envied. But envy was a sin, and Sicheng soon realised it was his adoration for the boy that was strong.

Him.

Xu Minghao.

For now his head was bowed, gazing with empty eyes upon the flashing lights below.

One aim.

He was set on it.

Sicheng thought he was pretty even like this, with his bottom lip caught between his teeth, flushed red with aggravated blood vessels; almost bust open by the fierceness of the bite. Eyes hollow, but still as beautiful and vast as ever.

Beauty itself.

He didn’t want him to leave his family.

He didn’t want him hurt.

Didn’t care for seeing his blood splattered on a concrete jungle, devoid of any remorse.

Where was the gleam in his eyes, he pondered, was it ever really there?

Sicheng descended.

-

Cool night hit his skin in an instant.

A ruffle of flapping wings.

Busy traffic.

It didn’t matter all too much for here he was, in the light of day - ironically not at daylight - standing before his human who kept his eyes trained on the ground below.

“Minghao.”

Voice above a whisper, so fragile - his emotion seeped through his lips like an overflowing sink.

The boy whipped his head around: black hair like a halo around his head - dark as night and ethereal. Not even night itself equated to it. He could’ve been an angel himself - inverted in color. Perhaps he resembled Lucifer; although he certainly didn’t carry the same traits.

“Beautiful…”

He lets out through a sigh, staring at Sicheng with gleaming eyes.

A feather drifts towards him and he catches it languidly, admiring the silky texture of it and allowing slender fingers to wrap around it gently.

Sicheng hopes this is enough and approaches the ledge.

It is.

Minghao collapses into his arms, seemingly exhausted.

Humans and their emotions - so draining.

Sicheng envelopes him with his wings, impossibly soft - warm even. The boy clinging to him sobs, ravelled in comfort and safety. 

“It’s okay, my sweet. I promise it.”

The night feels cold.

Minghao’s heart is warmed in the moment.

But Sicheng must leave, he fears leaving the heavens too long.

It costs him.

-

Sinner. Sinner. Sinner.

Voices chant around him.

Tears drip down his porcelain-like face.

“Is it wrong to save them?”

Sinner. Sinner. Sinner.

“Do we not love them,” he calls out, “do we not love humanity?”

Sinner. Sinner. Sinner.

Voices chant louder.

“Watching them die, is it fun?”

Sinner.

Sinner. 

Sinner.

“Beautiful as Lucifer, you too, have sinned.”

Sicheng does not let his face crumple in his sadness.

He keeps a taut jaw, holding his emotions within.

One.

Then the other.

His back burns with the pain of a hot, white fire pressed impossibly close to his skin. Tears drip and mix into the clouds, like nothing - no longer the tears of an angel.

Then he falls.

Fast.

Sinner. Sinner. Sinner.

Divinity lost, he too is one of humanity now.

-

The fields are fresh, with wild flowers scattered around; their scent wafts around in the air, saccharine. It’s unfamiliar - too strong for his nose. His senses are overwhelmed, and so he sits up with a jolt: eyes everywhere at once.

Memories of sorrow hit him like a brick, and the searing pain behind him suddenly becomes prominent. He cries, like a newborn. Mewling in the cruel pain of living. 

The other takes pity in his pathetic form, casting his eyes at him with a deep sorrow. He understands the pain, but does not know the origin. To him this boy is merely a suffering mortal, and it does not lessen his willingness to aid him.

Distracted by his thoughts, he had not realised the crying boy now rouge-eyed, staring at him with a pout, so childlike.

“Darling,” he cooed, watching the boy flinch at his words despite the smooth tone of his voice, “what’s wrong?”

A frown replaces the pout. Hurt. He’s reliving his pain.

“Who are you?” the other asks. Sicheng looks at him, lips now caught by his teeth.

“Sicheng. D-Dong Sicheng.”

Another coo. The boy’s voice is so soft, fragile even. But he looks clueless more than anything - maybe he’s not from these parts, he ponders. 

“I’m Jungwoo, yet it seems I’ve been wrongly assigned to you! But is there any way I can help?”

“Wrongly assigned?”

The other - Jungwoo - sighs. 

“I’m what we call a psychopomp. I lead souls to their final resting place, but you aren’t dead, are you sweetheart?”

Sicheng shakes his head quickly. If he was dead, he was sure he’d be in a much worse place.

A shudder ran down his spine.

Sinner.

The word rings in his ears.

He ignores it.

“Jung- Jungwoo?” He nods.

“Do you know about a human? Xu Minghao? His name is spelt like the surname Xu and Ming from tomorrow, Hao from vast.”

Jungwoo’s heart drops.

He juggles the thought of telling him, considering his glistening eyes, wet from tears. Lying wouldn’t help - he didn’t know the boy’s connection to this Minghao but if he said something and it wasn’t the case, the heartbreak would be worse.

“Yeah, I do. I was assigned to him recently, actually. He’s a sweet boy.”

“Assigned-”

“He died last night. Car crash.”

Sicheng gulped, eyes wet.

“I see.”

“I’m sorry for your loss- Again, he’s a sweet boy. His disappearance from this plain of earth will be missed.”

He nodded, sighing longingly.

At least he died not of his own hand.

Sicheng clung to that thought.

“Could I help you in any way, though?”

He paused, thought for a while, before pouting.

“I’m new to this land. Is there a way you could help me get accustomed?”

Jungwoo let out a snicker, his thoughts confirmed. It sounded mocking - Sicheng knew it wasn’t.

“Let’s get you home, then.”

Home.

Sicheng didn’t have a home.

Jungwoo was set on taking him to his, however.

-

They passed through buzzing roads. It was daylight and the lights were significantly dulled at this hour of day, yet it maintained its beauty. Human creations were always pretty to Sicheng, something intriguing about them.

It felt like a breath of fresh air to be on Earth, unlike in the heavens where everything was so pristine and unchanging.

This didn’t change the fact he missed it.

It felt like a mere few seconds before they arrived in a quiet neighbourhood - seemingly abandoned except from two or three buildings with light peaking through their windows.

The one they approached looked empty, however. 

Sicheng suddenly felt nervous.

“Is no one home?”

Jungwoo smiled.

There was no other response.

Three knocks, almost in a tune, but maybe that was just an accident. Jungwoo waited patiently before the door opened slowly, revealing a boy with very appealing features. Sicheng held his breath.

“Oh, Hendery? Wasn’t expecting you to answer, you’re usually out-”

“Who’s the cute one?”

Sicheng frowned.

“That’s Sicheng, he’s staying with you and the others, okay? I’ll check on him later, I’m probably late to reporting on the last spirit.”

“Jungw-”

The boy was gone, just like that.

Hendery sighed, seeing Sicheng unfazed by the event and immediately assuming him to be something otherly. He decided it to be okay to allow the boy entrance into the house which seemed way more alive inside than it did on the outside.

Faint shrieks of what couldn’t be distinguished as pain, terror or ecstasy could be heard through the walls of the house, slowly getting closer.

“Get that fucking banana away from me before I tell Kun about your late night escapades with Jungwoo!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

The voice was of a higher tone, possibly more shrill due to terror, but it sounded pleasant - perhaps slightly ridiculous in the moment.

However, the other voice was deeper, sort of husky - Sicheng liked the sound.

Moments later, two boys - one of a shorter height and one rather tall - came running into the common room where Sicheng had been guided. They ran around the coffee table, almost knocking over a vase which by chance did not drop, before getting stuck around one of the couches. The taller held a banana in hand; the smaller had a look of absolute horror on his face.

Hendery cleared his throat and they turned to look, rather annoyed until they noticed the other person in the room.

“Oh, who’s the cutie-”

Sicheng rolled his eyes.

“Those idiots are Ten and Yukhei- or Xuxi- or Lucas-,” Hendery sighed, internally cursing the other, “you know what, just call him Yukhei.”

Pressing his lips into a thin line, he nodded, noting the names.

Ten glanced at Sicheng with an acute curiosity. He was beautiful, so people staring didn’t seem odd. It’s just that Ten seemed to have a different sort of gaze. It unsettled the boy.

“Name?”

Sassy, Sicheng thought.

“Dong Sicheng.”

“Chinese?”

Sicheng furrowed his brows.

He supposed he was made to look like he was from China - and his name matched. So he nodded slowly. 

“Perfect. We all speak Chinese here, so you’ll fit right in!”

Sicheng sighs.

Angels have no problem with language - all are known and spoken amongst them, at least in heaven.

There would be no problem in this.

And so Sicheng was Chinese.

“The others are out right now but 6 of us live in this house, all… occult- which I’m hoping is okay to say, assuming you too are, since Jungwoo wouldn’t just-”

Yukhei looks panicked as he spoke. Hendery laughed.

“Yeah, he’s ‘occult’. Not sure what, but he didn’t freak out when Jungwoo disappeared, so I guess we’re good.”

Sicheng didn’t provide any input in this conversation, simply nodding.

The pain of falling still remained strong in his heart, and no way was he ready to tell anyone.

Sinner: Sicheng was a sinner.

All for naught.

He sighed once more, shutting his eyes. A question lingered in his mind, and he began to ask it quietly, knowing the others to still be in the room.

“Occult. You’re all occult, yes?”

Three sounds of agreement.

“Explain what you each are to me.”

His eyes fluttered open, seeing them all seated close by - the banana Yukhei had been holding was now cast aside somewhere, probably far away from Ten. That whole ordeal still didn’t make sense to him.

Hendery spoke first. Sicheng didn’t think he was some sort of leader figure - assumed that the “Kun” Ten had screamed about was someone with authority - but he did take charge, probably since he had met Sicheng first.

“I’m a beastmaster.”

“What type of beasts?” His interest was piqued.

“Hellhounds.”

Sicheng bit his lip. Dared to declare it cool. Decided against it. He still held his beliefs despite being disgraced - those would be hard to break.

“Yukhei?”

“You don’t know him yet but I’m the guardian angel of Renjun! He hates me, but it’s only because he’d rather be with his boyfriends-”

Ten swats him with a hand.

Yukhei goes silent.

“Ten-”

“Well, we don’t call it anything really but-”

Hendery interjects.

“The Bogeyman. Ten is: The Bogeyman.” He sighs, small smirk of amusement at the name. Ten looks like he’s about to murder the boy.

“It’s not funny!” He whines.

Sicheng smiles inwardly. Ten notices - coos almost - but he just looks away, stopping himself from doing so.

He dares to call them both cool, ponders it for a bit, then sets his mind on it.

“It’s interesting.”

Different from what he thinks to convey but nonetheless enough.

“I can show you my hounds sometime, but I guess later. We need to wait for everyone else to arrive.”

Sicheng shrugs, indifferent in the situation.

No one cares to ask what he is, or rather doesn’t dare to. The boy seems out of it: Sicheng doesn’t realise this. His eyes look cloudy, distant. It’s too soon to ask.

The four sit in an awkward silence for a while, with Sicheng fiddling idly. It’s not long until Ten and Yukhei begin whispering to each other, glancing at Sicheng often. The boy doesn’t care for what they’re discussing. Hendery just fidgets nervously.

The front door opens with a loud click and closes quickly with a slam.

“Anyone home?”

Someone questions, but there are multiple footsteps. 

Three boys walk in, carrying various bags. They all seem to notice Sicheng at once and looks of confusion cloud their features.

“Who’s-”

“Sicheng, he’s occult.”

Hendery is fast in his response.

“Cool. Staying?”

A nod.

“I’m Yangyang - my skin is porcelain so be gentle.”

Sicheng quirks a brow. Porcelain. That one is new, but then he casts his eyes on the boy’s skin and decides he certainly is not joking. He looks beautiful, but there are a few chips. He wonders if they’re recent, decides they must be.

“Kun - Thaumaturge. And also ‘leader’ so I suppose I’m somewhat adopting you, huh?” 

A shrug and a polite smile. This is the leader figure, Sicheng thought. As he had rightfully assumed.

“Xiao Jun.”

There was nothing after that. Sicheng didn’t press any further, especially as no one bothered to pipe up after the introduction. He assumed the boy wasn’t keen on sharing.

They had all greeted Sicheng swiftly, before making their way to presumably drop off their bags. Ten left with them, then Hendery. Yukhei remained.

Biting his lip, Sicheng stared at Yukhei.

Pretty, was his first thought.

Yukhei blushed.

What?

Sicheng raised a brow in questioning. Did he say it out loud? He hadn’t. Why did the boy fluster? Is this a human thing- the boy isn’t human- he’s an angel.

Angel.

“You heard?”

A nod.

Sicheng brushed it off. Yukhei wouldn’t know if that was his ability or if he shared his species. But then again, Sicheng was now fallen: no longer angelic. The ordeal was strange, but the boy moved on.

-

Time passed too slowly.

Jungwoo hadn’t returned until hours later, and by then, Sicheng had fallen asleep on the couch, not offered a bed beforehand. Yukhei debated picking him up and tucking him in, but didn’t want to disturb the boy. A blanket was draped over him instead, and Sicheng slept like a baby.

Jungwoo walked in on the sight, cooing.

The boy seemed just fine, and so Jungwoo went on with his day: visiting Yukhei and spending his night with him, at some point escaping the house and well, the rest was a secret.

At some point Sicheng awakened, somewhat startled by the foreignness of the place he found himself in, but slowly remembering. Once more his bottom lip found itself between his teeth.

How badly he missed heaven.

He choked back a sob. Then another. And soon Sicheng was bawling his eyes out: watching the tears splatter silently in the darkness of the common room. Mundane tears: mundane person. Sicheng felt wronged. 

He didn’t even save a life in the end.

The guilt weighed on his conscience.

Another sob.

Sicheng cried himself back to sleep, cheeks wet and eyes puffy.

Hendery only listened with a pained expression from the doorway, moving away sullenly, deciding Sicheng needed his privacy.

The fallen angel wept.


	2. ii ; encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoo exams are killing me,,, sorry this is shorter than expected, i'll write more once i complete my last exam for the year!

Mundane, he thinks.

His eyes glance at those around him and he sighs.

Maybe not so much.

-

Hendery woke him up at around midday. He hadn’t cleaned himself up yet, but it didn’t matter either way - the boy heard everything last night.

Sicheng offered a sad smile. It was reciprocated.

But that wasn’t the point.

Hendery notified the boy that they were due to leave soon and wanted to take Sicheng with him, considering how Jungwoo had accepted the task of getting him accustomed. Sicheng didn’t need to think twice about agreeing. 

He borrowed Hendery’s clothes.

He was a nice boy.

Didn’t make sense as to why he was so nice, maybe he had a motive?

Sicheng didn’t think much of it.

They were off at just a few minutes past one.

Sicheng looked excited, like a child presented with an entire store of candy, having been told: “take as much as you want”. The world was his sweet treat and he was dying to have a taste, for heaven denied such luxuries.

Yangyang thought he looked adorable - they all did. Xiao Jun had become fond of him too.

It was the trio of the youngest in the group that decided to take Sicheng out on this day, and oddly it felt as though he was the baby: seemingly so new to everything. Where had he been living his whole life?

Evidently not here.

Still, they didn’t dare to ask.

“Sicheng, would you like to eat something?”

His lips curled into a frown. 

Eating.

He hadn’t… eaten before.

It was simple yet, something rather new. Maybe the uncomfortable sensation in his stomach would be quenched with this.

He nodded with vigour.

The four boys began to approach a cafe. It looked small, generic, but still cute. Sicheng indulged in the scent of the place; smelt like a home he had never claimed but wanted to inhabit: cozy.

Once inside, Sicheng drifted off into an ecstasy of smells. Whilst the city had a variety of scents, none of them were this prettily infused. He shut his eyes, and just breathed.

But Yangyang snapped him out of this early with a shrill shout.

“Lele!”

Who?

“Yangyang!”

Two boys ran to each other, embracing shortly before parting.

“You’re here with Jisung?”

“He wanted to cook but I wanted a bagel so-”

A taller boy peeks out from behind Jisung, locking eyes with Sicheng.

Sicheng notices the amber hue and shudders.

Demon.

“Who’s this?”

Hendery clears his throat, pushing Sicheng in front gently. The boy looks somewhat panicked, but Hendery places a hand on his lower back and he relaxes slightly. 

Such a calming touch.

“My name’s Sicheng.” He mumbled, staring directly at the boy now.

Pretty, he thought.

Too pretty for a demon.

“Hendery is this your…” He lowers his voice to a dramatic whisper, “boyfriend?”

Yangyang scowled.

“Lele don’t make such jokes.”

A howl of a laugh came from the boy, high in pitch - Sicheng thought he sounded like a dolphin, and was amused by this thought.

Sicheng was unsure as to why Yangyang jumped to the other’s defense but shrugged it off, chewing his lip feverishly at being in the presence of a demon.

He paused.

He wasn’t an angel anymore.

Sicheng sighed.

Xiao Jun seemed rather quiet.

Distant.

He didn’t bother asking.

“Hey, Sicheng? Chenle is wondering if you’d like to come over? It would be good to meet more people.”

But he wanted to try out this thing of “eating”. His lips curled to a frown at the proposal, already crestfallen at the thought of missing the opportunity. Hendery read him like a book.

“Should we eat before we go?”

Yangyang shrugged at Hendery’s offer, whilst Sicheng smiled, grateful.

And so they ventured further into the cafe, purchasing 4 sweet treats before leaving with said food items, along with Chenle and Jisung.

The walk was quiet, with Chenle and Jisung whispering to each other up front, Yangyang and Hendery just after them, and Sicheng and Xiao Jun trailing behind. These two were the only ones in silence, and Sicheng would glance at the boy every now and then, sometimes locking eyes with the other and pretending to be looking elsewhere. It was obvious he was staring.

Xiao Jun was a mystery, and Winwin wanted to figure him out; he found an interest in the boy.

Perhaps the same went for him too.

But that was for another time, now they were in front of yet another seemingly abandoned house. What was with these people and somehow hiding their existence? Was being occult really so bad on earth? Sicheng entertained the thought.

Three knocks - a tune. So the knock Jungwoo had done wasn’t coincidental? Interesting.

A sleepy boy opened the door. A bunny, was Sicheng’s first thought. The boy looked like a bunny, and it was rather cute, especially how he twitched his nose so cutely. Humans were endearing in their ways.

Oh, but was this a human? It seemed most of who he met weren’t.

Sicheng remained suspicious, assuming this boy to not be human for the time being.

“Brought friends? Oh, who’s this-”

“Yep, friends.” Chenle grinned at the boy and he huffed at his second question being ignored.

Jisung whined a little, quiet and probably half-meant to himself. 

“Can we come in already? My feet hurt.”

Cute.

The bunny-like boy allowed everyone entrance, staring at Sicheng especially when he walked in. Xiao Jun held his arm like he was a child. Sicheng almost thanked him, but held his tongue in what felt like embarrassment.

It was pretty inside - decorated with a very home-like sense to it, not matching its exterior. 

Xiao Jun didn’t let go of his arm, sliding his hand down to the boy’s wrist for a more comfortable grip. Sicheng debated holding hands - thought it weird to initiate it and just allowed the other’s   
hand to rest where it did.

The hand slid into his at some point anyways.

Warm.

Sicheng smiled.

“We brought china line! Minus the old ones-”

A few giggles sounded from the common room.

“Is Yangyang there?”

Someone shouted, receiving a loud shout from Yangyang in response. A fairly shorter boy ran into the hallway, bouncing in his steps. His skin was tan, a warm honey, and his hair bobbed up and down as though it were floating in the air like it was water.

“Oh- Yang? Who’s this-”

The boy stared at Sicheng with bright doe eyes. Sicheng thought he looked like a cute deer- maybe he got that a lot though, so he didn’t mention it.

“Sicheng-ge. He’s new to our group, and he’s chinese too-”

Sicheng smiled cautiously at the boy who had asked.

“Haech- Donghyuck.”

A polite nod.

“You’re cute - not to be creepy.” A little giggle escaped his lips as he licked his lips carefully. 

Pudu. Was that the animal he resembled? Sicheng wasn’t an animal expert in any case.

Sicheng muttered a thank you before Donghyuck dragged off Yangyang, with Hendery trailing: a small pout showed on his lips.

Doyoung stared at the two remaining boys, walking off to join the others with Xiao Jun and Sicheng following without a word.

It seemed Yangyang had already got to blabbering on about Sicheng, because no one bothered asking who he was once he entered the common room. Instead he got to bear witness to what looked like twelve boys, all in their own worlds, yet occasionally slipping into reality and glancing at Sicheng. Curiosity clouded their eyes.

Xiao Jun spoke quietly in Sicheng’s ear, making a small explanation of names the first thing he uttered. Sicheng nodded as he identified each person.

Doyoung, Donghyuck, Yangyang, Hendery, Chenle, Jisung - all by which he had already met. But also Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun, Mark, Taeyong and Jaehyun. Sicheng thought them all to be charming in their own ways.

Xiao Jun went on to explain what exactly everyone was.

“Jeno is basically Doyoung’s child - he’s clairvoyant but he’s having trouble lately, Doyoung’s worried.” 

Sicheng noted how Doyoung had engaged in conversation with Jeno after entering the room, with brows furrowed. He looked somewhat distressed.

“Jaemin is of the Fae. So a fairy, but he insists on Fae, don’t see the difference.” Xiao Jun smiled inwardly, and Sicheng watched his face change. It was refreshing.

“Renjun is a necromancer, and Taeyong scolds him for practicing such dark magic, but it’s in his blood, so that’s a hopeless chide. Taeyong is a dragon. An old one, at that. But it’s why everyone respects him, he’s like our leader.”

Sicheng noted: “Interesting, he suits a leader role.”

Xiao Jun nodded happily.

“Jaehyun is actually a god, but he claims ‘demi-god’ to be modest. They call him Apollo, but he likes his new name. We also have another god: Hades. That’s Mark. But he seems to be slacking off in recent days, wonder if it’s because of his troubles with Donghyuck.”

“Xiao- Xiao Jun? What’s Donghyuck?”

Said boy turned to the two at the mention of his name, despite it being impossible for it to be heard. He turned away quickly.

“Cupid. Eros.” 

He sighed. 

“It’s weird how the god of love and the god of the underworld match so well. I wonder, is it really that simple?”

A hum of thought accommodated his dreamily asked question, and his eyes glazed over, like little clouds had covered them.

Sicheng was curious to what the other meant. Didn’t pry. Xiao Jun seemed far away anyways.

A quick glance around him, and Sicheng sighed too. Such interesting creatures all came together as one. But him?

Fallen.

Mundane.

Well, not as mundane as he believed himself to be.

**Author's Note:**

> fallen angel - an angel that has had their wings removed, no longer angellic, expelled from heaven.  
> beastmaster - can summon and control beasts as though they are pets;; hendery has hellhounds.  
> guardian angel - an angel sent down to guide and look after their human / being;; yukehi watches over renjun who can see him for unstated reasons.  
> the bogeyman - a creature essentially built on fear, generally used to scare children - the literal night;; ten feeds on fear, despite being rather fearful himself.  
> porcelain boy - an animated figure made of porcelain;; yangyang could shatter quite easily, but kun patches him up often.  
> thaumaturge - essentially a wizard, can work miracles;; in this case, kun dabbles in the nature side of things and uses his powers in that way.  
> unknown - xxxxx;; xiaojun.


End file.
